Best Linear Fusion Rifles in Destiny 2: Tier List for PvP and PvE

After years of sitting on the sidelines, Linear Fusions Rifles are in a good place. In fact, they’re currently considered the go-to option for most endgame PvE activities.

Now that the top Linear Fusions are considered to be among the best weapons in the game, we review every Linear Fusion in Destiny 2, including both Exotics and Legendaries, as well as the best rolls for PvE and PvP.

Updated as of Season of the Seraph (S19).

Destiny 2 Linear Fusion Rifles Tier list

This Tier list features every Exotic and Legendary Linear Fusion rifle in the game. It starts with the S Tier weapons and moves down from there. It also covers both PvE and PvP, with the “Excels in” column clearly identifying in what area each weapon shines:

Name	Weapons	Type	Archetype	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Rank	Source	Available?	Tier rank	Source ❘ DLC	Final Verdict	Released	Perks	Best of?
Laser Painter	Laser Painter	Linear Fusion Rifle	Precision	Heavy	Strand	Free-to-Play	Yes		Playlist: Gambit			Playlist: Gambit Free-to-Play	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision	Season 21	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision
Arbalest	Arbalest	Linear Fusion Rifle	Exotic	Special	Kinetic	Lightfall	Yes	S › Best	Exotic Quest		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Exotic Quest Lightfall	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires slugs that cause massive damage to enemy shields. Strong against Barrier Champions. Breaking an enemy's shield with this weapon makes them more vulnerable to Kinetic damage." ► Arbalest continues to dominate in every area of the game, even through nerfs to both its damage and aim assist. With the ability to bypass Barrier Champion and elemental shields in 1-2 shots (even on Grandmaster difficulty), Arbalest will remain an unstoppable force.	Season 6	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires slugs that cause massive damage to enemy shields. Strong against Barrier Champions. Breaking an enemy's shield with this weapon makes them more vulnerable to Kinetic damage."	Top-tier
Reed's Regret	Reed's Regret	Linear Fusion Rifle	Precision	Heavy	Stasis	Lightfall	Yes	S › Best	Trials of Osiris		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Trials of Osiris Lightfall	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Triple Tap (also good: Clown Cartridge) + Firing Line (also good: Vorpal Weapon) ► Even though Reed's Regret has seen a slight decline in popularity due to the absurd power of newer options, it still sees high usage due to its strong perk selection and S-Tier origin trait. And with the added bonus of having an Adept variant and Stasis element, Reed's continues to excel.	Season 15	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Triple Tap (also good: Clown Cartridge) + Firing Line (also good: Vorpal Weapon)	Top-tier
Cataclysmic	Cataclysmic	Linear Fusion Rifle	Precision	Heavy	Solar	The Witch Queen	Yes	S › Best	Vow of the Disciple Raid		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Vow of the Disciple Raid The Witch Queen	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Fourth Time's The Charm + Bait and Switch ► Cataclysmic has always been great for total damage, but now also excels in DPS because of a buff to Bait and Switch. While most players now try to match their subclass and weapon elements for Font of Might, Cataclysmic continues to attract players of all subclasses with its unmatched raw damage.	Season 16	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Fourth Time's The Charm + Bait and Switch	Top-tier
Stormchaser	Stormchaser	Linear Fusion Rifle	Aggressive	Heavy	Arc	Deluxe Edition	Yes	S › Best	Duality Dungeon		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Duality Dungeon Deluxe Edition	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Aggressive PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Clown Cartridge) + Firing Line (also good: Vorpal Weapon) ► The first linear fusion rifle to not be a Precision Frame, Stormchaser and its three-round burst is as unique as they are fun. And with S-Tier perk combinations like Rapid Hit + Firing Line, this already-strong linear fusion rifle easily competes with top picks like Reed's Regret.	Season 17	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Aggressive PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Clown Cartridge) + Firing Line (also good: Vorpal Weapon)	Top-tier
Taipan-4fr	Taipan-4fr	Linear Fusion Rifle	Precision	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	World loot pool		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Triple Tap + Firing Line ► Absurdly strong for a world drop, Taipan-4fr can roll with powerful perk combinations usually only seen in endgame weapons. This solid linear fusion rifle also boasts the ability to be crafted, providing an option that anyone can get their hands on.	Season 18	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Triple Tap + Firing Line	Top-tier
Sleeper Simulant	Sleeper Simulant	Linear Fusion Rifle	Exotic	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Exotic Kiosk		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Exotic Kiosk Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "The weapon's laser over penetrates enemies and refracts off hard surfaces." ► Sleeper Simulant has fallen under the community's radar over the past couple of seasons. Not only is it a strong DPS option, but its high damage per shot allows for substantial burst damage against Champions. The only downside, of course, is that it's an Exotic.	Season 3	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "The weapon's laser over penetrates enemies and refracts off hard surfaces."	Top-tier
Fire and Forget	Fire and Forget	Linear Fusion Rifle	Aggressive	Heavy	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Seasonal activity		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Seasonal activity Free-to-Play	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Aggressive PvE God Roll:Field Prep + High-Impact Reserves (also good: Focused Fury) ► Because of its unique Stasis element, Veist Stinger origin trait, and Aggressive frame, Fire and Forget is quite unique. However, because its competition is so powerful, the minor flaw Fire and Forget has—an average first column of perks—makes this an often ignored option.	Season 19	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Aggressive PvE God Roll:Field Prep + High-Impact Reserves (also good: Focused Fury)	Top-tier
Briar's Contempt	Briar's Contempt	Linear Fusion Rifle	Aggressive	Heavy	Solar	Lightfall	Yes	A › Strong	Root of Nightmares Raid		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Root of Nightmares Raid Lightfall	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Aggressive God Rolls: Keep Away + High-Impact Reserves	Season 20	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Aggressive God Rolls: Keep Away + High-Impact Reserves	Top-tier
Lorentz Driver	Lorentz Driver	Linear Fusion Rifle	Exotic	Special	Void	Beyond Light	Yes	A › Strong	Exotic Kiosk		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Exotic Kiosk Beyond Light	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Final blows on marked targets generate telemetry patterns which, when picked up, grant bonus ability energy. Collecting 3 telemetry patterns without dying grants bonus damage for a long duration. Also, a precision final blow with this weapon creates an implosion that pulls in nearby targets and damages them with an additional detonation." ► A true menace in PVP when it was first released, Lorentz Driver has become a fun but off-meta choice in all areas of the game. While it can still excel in niche scenarios, newer weapons have taken the meta away from Lorentz.	Season 15	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Final blows on marked targets generate telemetry patterns which, when picked up, grant bonus ability energy. Collecting 3 telemetry patterns without dying grants bonus damage for a long duration. Also, a precision final blow with this weapon creates an implosion that pulls in nearby targets and damages them with an additional detonation."	Top-tier
Threaded Needle	Threaded Needle	Linear Fusion Rifle	Precision	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	Unobtainable		Average ❘ B Excels in: PvE	Unobtainable Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit + Vorpal Weapon ► Previously the best linear fusion rifle in the game, Threaded Needle has slowly become outclassed by newer options. Taipan-4fr's release and a previous nerf to Vorpal Weapon sadly cemented Threaded Needle's place as average, even in this linear fusion rifle meta.	Season 13	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit + Vorpal Weapon
Corsair's Wrath	Corsair's Wrath	Linear Fusion Rifle	Precision	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	C › Weak	Xûr		Weak ❘ C	Xûr Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll:Pulse Monitor + High-Impact Reserves ► With only one of twelve total perks that can be loosely described as above average for PVE, Corsair's Wrath doesn't keep up with newer linear fusion rifles. Plus, it's a pain to try to obtain.	Season 12	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll:Pulse Monitor + High-Impact Reserves
Tarantula	Tarantula	Linear Fusion Rifle	Precision	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	C › Weak	World loot pool		Weak ❘ C	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Field Prep + Box Breathing ► With its primarily mediocre stats and perks, there's no good reason to run Tarantula. If you're looking for an easy linear fusion rifle to hunt down, Taipan-4fr will serve you much better.	Season 13	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Field Prep + Box Breathing
The Queenbreaker	The Queenbreaker	Linear Fusion Rifle	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	D › Worst	Exotic Engram		Worst ❘ D	Exotic Engram Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires a long-range precision Arc bolt that blinds enemies on hit. It has a slower charge time and deals greater damage." ► The Queenbreaker's Bow is probably one of the worst weapons in the game right now. It is easily outclassed by Legendary Linear Fusion Rifles in terms of DPS. In fact, even Special ammo Linear Fusion Rifles such as Arbalest or Lorentz Driver outclass it.	Season 4	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires a long-range precision Arc bolt that blinds enemies on hit. It has a slower charge time and deals greater damage."
Sailspy Pitchglass	Sailspy Pitchglass	Linear Fusion Rifle	Precision	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Ongoing	Seasonal activity		Ongoing...	Seasonal activity Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Clown Cartridge)+ Focused Fury (also good: Vorpal Weapon) ► Sailspy Pitchglass has a variety of damage and reload perks in both columns, but different options outclass all of them. With no Triple Tap, Firing Line, or Fourth Time's the Charm, the Sailspy Pitchglass is an average pick compared to Cataclysmic and Stormchaser.	Season 18	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Clown Cartridge)+ Focused Fury (also good: Vorpal Weapon)

These are the different Tier levels used for our list:

• S Tier – Best: Highest ranking weapons in our Tier List.
• A Tier – Strong: Very strong weapons, but not on the same level as S Tier Choices.
• B Tier – Average: Decent choices that can be lethal in the hands of a skilled player.
• C Tier – Weak: The middle of the pack, somewhat mediocre.
• D Tier – Worst: Lagging behind the competition, these don’t have much to offer.

More Destiny 2 Tier lists:

	Auto Rifles	Primary
	Combat Bows	Primary
	Fusion Rifles	Special
	Glaives	Special
	Grenade Launchers	Special Heavy
	Hand Cannon	Primary
	Linear Fusion Rifle	Heavy
	Machine Guns	Heavy
	Pulse Rifle	Primary
	Rocket Launcher	Heavy
	Scout Rifle	Primary
	Shotgun	Special
	Submachine Guns	Primary
	Swords	Heavy
	Trace Rifles	Special

Best Destiny 2 Linear Fusion Rifles in 2023

This section not only covers the top Linear Fusions currently in the game, it also tells you where you can find them. And while most of the sources below are self-explanatory, this guide covers every weapon source in Destiny 2. If still in doubt, you can always leave a comment below or ask away on our Discord server.

Overall, these are our Top 5 favorite Linear Fusions for PvE and PvP.

5. Reed’s Regret

Excels in PvE

The first legendary linear fusion rifle to fall into the meta, Reed’s Regret is a well-rounded pick that still holds up.

With the powerful perk combo of Triple Tap and Firing Line, Reed’s is great in a Fireteam. Plus, if luck is on your side, Veist Stinger can fully reload your magazine just by using the weapon.

The main reason players use Reed’s over other options these days is because of its Stasis element. If you have a Stasis subclass and Reed’s Regret equipped, pairing Font of Might with these grants an extra 25% damage buff for free.

While not nearly as popular as when it was first released, Reed’s Regret is a potent DPS option that excels in conjunction with a Stasis subclass.

PvE God roll:

• Perk 1: Triple Tap (also good: Clown Cartridge)
• Perk 2: Firing Line (also good: Vorpal Weapon)

How to get it: Reed’s Regret can be acquired via Trials of Osiris engrams and rank-ups.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Reed's Regret	Linear Fusion Rifle	Precision	Legendary	Heavy	Stasis	Lightfall	Yes	Heavy	Stasis	Best ❘ S	PvE	Trials of Osiris		Lightfall	Season 15	Heavy	No	Top-tier

4. Taipan-4fr

Excels in PvE

Taipan-4fr was an unexpected gem inside the world loot pool, allowing all players to obtain an S-Tier DPS weapon.

Needing only two Deepsight versions of the weapon for the pattern, Taipan is extremely easy to craft. And, once you level it up, it can get the same perks that made Reed’s Regret so great: Triple Tap and Firing Line.

Also similar to Reed’s, Taipan has Veist Stinger, randomly refilling your magazine by firing the weapon. This origin trait and its Void element make Taipan somewhat of a unique pick.

If you’re looking for a Void linear fusion rifle (or simply an easy one to obtain for those pesky LFG groups), Taipan-4fr is for you.

PvE God roll:

• Perk 1: Triple Tap
• Perk 2: Firing Line

How to get it: Taipan-4fr can be crafted at the Enclave after completing a short quest.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Taipan-4fr	Linear Fusion Rifle	Precision	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	Best ❘ S	PvE	World loot pool		Free-to-Play	Season 18	Heavy	Craftable	Top-tier

3. Stormchaser

 Excels in PVE

Completely unexpected by the community, the Duality dungeon brought a linear fusion rifle with a new frame: Stormchaser, a three-burst LFR.

With Firing Line in column two and Rapid Hit in column one (which pairs perfectly with the burst-shot nature of the weapon), Stormchaser was set up for success with its perks. Combined with the Aggressive frame’s high base damage, these perks allow Stormchaser to surpass most of its competition.

Like Taipan and Reed’s, Stormchaser’s element also plays a crucial role in its continued popularity. There simply aren’t any other potent Arc linear fusion rifles, meaning Stormchaser is the clear choice when running an Arc subclass (because of Font of Might).

Stormchaser backs up its status as a dungeon drop with its S-Tier perks, high base damage, and entertaining and unique frame.

PvE God roll:

• Perk 1: Rapid Hit (also good: Clown Cartridge)
• Perk 2: Firing Line (also good: Vorpal Weapon)

How to get it: Stormchaser can be acquired from the Duality dungeon.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Stormchaser	Linear Fusion Rifle	Aggressive	Legendary	Heavy	Arc	Deluxe Edition	Yes	Heavy	Arc	Best ❘ S	PvE	Duality Dungeon		Deluxe Edition	Season 17	Heavy	No	Top-tier

2. Cataclysmic

 Excels in PVE

Worse than Reed’s Regret when it was first released, Cataclysmic benefitted from a substantial buff to Bait and Switch soon after Vow of the Disciple’s launch, making it one of the best weapons in the game.

Currently exclusive to Vow of the Disciple raid weapons, Bait and Switch grants a 35% damage increase for 10 seconds when triggered. Considering that Firing Line is only 20% (and requires two nearby Guardians), you can see why the community loves this perk.

Cataclysmic also has an Adept variant, allowing it to utilize mods like Adept Big Ones. Solar subclasses also tend to be some of the most popular choices among all three classes, meaning this weapon can consistently take advantage of Font of Might.

While it’s maybe not the most flashy or unique option on this list, Cataclysmic is widely regarded as the best legendary linear fusion rifle currently available.

PvE God roll:

• Perk 1: Fourth Time’s The Charm
• Perk 2: Bait and Switch

How to get it: Cataclysmic can be acquired from the Vow of the Disciple raid.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Cataclysmic	Linear Fusion Rifle	Precision	Legendary	Heavy	Solar	The Witch Queen	Yes	Heavy	Solar	Best ❘ S	PvE	Vow of the Disciple Raid		The Witch Queen	Season 16	Heavy	Craftable	Top-tier

1. Arbalest

Best PvE Linear Fusion in Destiny 2

After enduring countless nerfs that tried to bring it back in line with other weapons, Arbalest is still a monster in all aspects of the game.

The ability to stun Barrier Champions with one shot in Grandmaster content would be enough to make this weapon an excellent choice for most. However, Arbalest can do this every season, and it can also shred elemental shields. With one Arbalest user on your team, Match Game and Barrier Champions are no longer a problem.

On top of all that, Arbalest provides its own damage bonus that stacks with other buffs. After destroying a shield with it, Arbalest will do 50% more damage to that combatant for over five seconds. And if you have the catalyst unlocked, destroying a shield also reloads the weapon automatically.

Arbalest has so much going on that it’s hard to include it all here. While it serves an entirely different purpose than the rest of the LFRs on this list, Arbalest is a menace in any activity or enemy you put in front of it.

Exotic Perk: “Fires slugs that cause massive damage to enemy shields. Strong against Barrier Champions. Breaking an enemy’s shield with this weapon makes them more vulnerable to Kinetic damage.”

How to get it: Arbalest can be acquired via Exotic engrams or Xûr.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Arbalest	Linear Fusion Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Special	Kinetic	Lightfall	Yes	Special	Kinetic	Best ❘ S	PvE	Exotic Quest		Lightfall	Season 6	Kinetic	No	Top-tier

Linear Fusion Rifles in PvP: TTK and Lethality

TTK (time-to-kill) is usually extremely important in PVP, because the lowest the TTK, the faster you can kill your opponent. You can read all about it in our TTK guide below.

This doesn’t apply to Power weapons, though, as most of them are one-hit-kill weapons. With TTK out of the picture, it all comes down to consistency and ease of use. For PVP, you want your Heavy weapon to be as reliable and consistent as possible. Linear Fusions are not too bad in that department due to their high aim assist, but they still require good timing and aim.

If you’re looking for a more forgiving weapon, a rocket launcher will be a better option.

Linear Fusion Rifles in PvE: DPS

DPS is important for PVE, because the higher the DPS, the more damage you can deal to a Boss or Major.

But before we look into damage numbers and ease of use (two of the most important factors to take into account in PVE), we need to be clear about the role Linear Fusion Rifles are supposed to fill. According to Bungie, these are the different roles for Heavy weapons:

Based on that, when using a Linear Fusion, you’re looking to dish sustained damage to a single target, be it a Boss or a Major in endgame content.

And by the way, as Linear Fusions are all about hitting precision hits to take advantage of that sweet critical hit multiplier, you’ll want to use it against an enemy that has a reasonably easy-to-hit crit spot.

This DPS chart includes the DPS numbers for every weapon in Destiny 2. When looking at Linear Fusion Rifles, they definitely benefited from the several buffs they have recently received:

-	Weapon Type	Archetype	Average DPS	Burst DPS	Total Damage	Specs	---	Best in Class	Change?	Ammo
	Linear Fusion Rifle	Exotic	21,799	25,351	396,792	With Catalyst		Sleeper Simulant	Buffed	Heavy
	Linear Fusion Rifle	Aggressive	15,559	17,367	381,218	-		Stormchaser	New	Heavy
	Linear Fusion Rifle	Exotic	15,182	17,844	389,320	With Marksman Sights		The Queenbreaker	Buffed	Heavy
	Linear Fusion Rifle	Precision	14,979	17,844	356,880	-		Reed's Regret	Buffed	Heavy
	Linear Fusion Rifle	Exotic	11,325	13,412	287,500	-		Arbalest	Same	Special
	Linear Fusion Rifle	Exotic	11,325	13,412	287,500	-		Lorentz Driver	Same	Special

Endgame content

Clearly, Linear Fusions are competent PVE weapons. And that includes casual and endgame content. You need to keep in mind, though, that Linear Fusions are all about landing your crits. Unlike Rocket launchers or Swords that can’t deal precision damage, Linear Fusions need to land virtually 100% precision shots in order to be competitive.

In conclusion, Linear Fusions are more demanding and unforgiving than other weapon types, but if you can land your crits, you will be rewarded.

Destiny 2 Linear Fusion Rifles: Are they Meta?

So how do Linear Fusion Rifles stack against the competition? Because in the end, they’re not really competing against other Linear Fusions, they’re competing against the top Power weapons in the entire game.

The current Power weapons Meta for PvE

Weapon Type	Rank	Tier	Trend	Role ❘ Current State	Category
Swords	B › Average	Average ❘ B		► Main roles: Add Clear & Single Target damage (i.e. Boss damage). ► Swords have fallen slightly out of the meta since the days of Falling Guillotine, however, they are still a solid pick. Swords like The Lament and Heartshadow are both solid options for slaying majors and dealing good boss damage. They are unfortunately very risky, though, and when Linear Fusion Rifles deal the incredible amount of damage they do right now, it is difficult to recommend Swords. ► Best Archetype: Exotics - Example: The Lament	PVE Heavies
Rocket Launchers	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A	-	► Main role: Burst Damage (Secondary role: Add Clear) ► Rocket Launchers are solid options. They deal good burst damage and are effective for killing high-health targets like Majors quickly. Their ammo economy is poor, unfortunately, meaning that you will need to be conservative with how you use your rockets. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (20 RPM) - Example: The Hothead	PVE Heavies
Linear Fusion Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S		► Main role: Single Target damage (Secondary role: Burst Damage) ► Linear Fusion Rifles are the cream of the crop. They can deal very high damage consistently. They have solid DPS and incredible total damage, making them amazing for Raids and other high-level pieces of content. There are also plenty of strong options right now, including the Taipan-4FR or Cataclysmic, which both come with excellent perks and have good damage. ► Best Archetype: Precision (533 RPM) - Example: Reed's Regret	PVE Heavies
Machine Guns	B › Average	Average ❘ B	-	► Main role: Add Clear ► Machine Guns are a different kind of Power weapon. Instead of focusing on boss damage (outside of Xenophage), Machine Guns focus on ad clear. And they are excellent at ad clear, especially Thunderlord; however, given that abilities and primary weapons are excellent at add clear, Machine Guns are currently mediocre options for your Heavy slot. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (140 RPM) - Example:	PVE Heavies
Grenade Launchers	D › Worst	Worst ❘ D		► Main role: Add Clear (Secondary role: Single Target Damage). ► Grenade Launchers are in a very sad state right now. Outside of maybe Typhon GL5, Heavy Grenade Launchers are in a terrible spot. They do not have great boss damage and also do not have good add clear, making them very, very pointless in all content. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (120 RPM) - Example: Typhon GL5	PVE Heavies
Exotic Sniper Rifles	C › Weak	Weak ❘ C	-	► Main role: Single Target damage ► Exotic Snipers are very niche. They are far from the top of the meta right now as they are simply harder to use and in many ways inferior to Linear Fusion Rifles. ► Best Archetype: Aggressive (72 RPM) - Example: Whisper of the Worm	PVE Heavies

The current Power weapons Meta for PvP

Weapon Type	Rank	Tier	Trend	Role ❘ Current State	Category
Rocket Launchers	S › Best	Best ❘ S	-	► Rocket Launchers remain a staple in many players' loadouts. They can provide high-range one-shot kills, and can also do AoE damage which can potentially allow you to clear teams if they are close enough together. ► Best Archetype: Precision (15 RPM) - Example: Gjallarhorn	PVP Heavies
Machine Guns	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A	-	► Machine Guns are still an incredible option for Control as they can provide many kills. However, they do require multiple shots to kill which can lead to you potentially being Sniped or peak-shot by a Primary Weapon. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (450 RPM) - Example: Corrective Measure	PVP Heavies
Grenade Launchers	S › Best	Best ❘ S		► Heavy Grenade Launchers are an incredible option for those who are confident in landing their direct hits. They can functionally serve as a Rocket Launcher, but instead of coming with only a single shot, Grenade Launchers can bring 3, which, of course, means more potential kills. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (120 RPM) - Example: Memory Interdict	PVP Heavies
Swords	C › Weak	Weak ❘ C	-	► Swords are perhaps the most fun option (especially with Eager Edge), however, they are too inconsistent to warrant any competitive use. Furthermore, benefitting from third-person view is no longer possible without Heavy ammo, making the only niche usage swords had now redundant. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive/Lightweight- Examples: Half-Truths/Quickfang	PVP Heavies
Linear Fusion Rifles	C › Weak	Weak ❘ C		Linear fusion rifles are in the middle of an identity crisis. They are stronger than sniper rifles and have more aim assistance, but they still require Heavy ammo and a headshot to one-shot an enemy. On top of that, they also have a charge time to take into account. Compared to a sniper rifle that fires immediately and only uses Special ammo, Linear Fusion rifles make little sense for the Crucible. In PVP, you want a Heavy weapon that can either easily down several guardians or guarantee a kill in a high-stakes match. It isn't impossible to do with a linear fusion rifle, but other weapon types can accomplish that more easily.	PVP Heavies

Before you go…

As you chase some of the best Linear fusion rifles in the game, you’ll probably want to farm in parallel a top-tier Primary and Special weapon. For example, a top-tier Grenade launcher and SMG.